Obituary of John Madison Murphree

John Madison Murphree passed away on December 16, 2019. He was 93, born January 8, 1926 in Montgomery, Alabama to Jerry Franklin Murphree Sr. and Mary Etta DeShields. He was preceded in death by beloved wife Martha Josephine (Jo) and daughter Sharon Gaye Hurley. John was a WWII veteran, joining the fight at age 17. He was a sharpshooter – a skill developed helping feed the family as a boy during the Depression. As a part of the 82nd Airborne Division, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, Company D, a Pathfinder and one of the first 200 Americans to land in occupied Europe on D-Day. Later that year, his Unit fought in the Battle of the Bulge. John’s service in North Africa and Europe included four drops into action and resulted in numerous medals and recognitions, including a Purple Heart, a Bronze Star, and a Silver Star for Valor. Music was always important; he received his first violin from his father before the age of five. Before the war, John had the pleasure of playing music with Hank Williams, Sr. After the war, when offered an opportunity to travel with Williams’ band playing guitar, mandolin, and fiddle, he opted for a more mainstream occupation. Rather than becoming a professional musician, John became an electrical engineer and enjoyed a career in that field for more than four decades. He was on the team at Bell Labs that created the first color TV. He supported critical Department of Defense and NASA missions, including helping set up Cheyenne Mountain, establishing the ground tracking communications stations, developing the Space Shuttle solid rocket boosters, reverse engineering defense systems, and supporting microgravity science research instrument developments, such as the International Space Station Microgravity Glovebox, that is still in use today. In his personal life, John was active in several organizations and charities. He was past Commander of the VFW Post 4643 and a lifetime member of the American Legion Post 200, both in Satellite Beach. He was a member of the Masonic Lodge in Huntsville, Alabama and Brevard County, Florida. John was a founding member of the AZAN Shriners, serving in leadership positions in that organization. John and Jo had eight children: Sunni Maureen, Sharon Gaye (survived by oldest grandson David Lee Hurley whom they raised as a son), Joy Melinda, Merri Beth Benjamin, John Jeffrey Murphree, Martha Glee Cole, Kim Hope Piedad, Janet Faith Letchworth; 20 grandchildren, and 22 great-grandchildren. Funeral services will be at the Ammen Family Cremation and Funeral Care, 1001 South Hickory St. Melbourne, FL 32901. Viewing will be from 12:00 to 2:00 on Sunday, December 29, 2019, with service following. Graveside ceremony with military honors will be at 3:00 at Florida Memorial Gardens.